Ironer attachment for washing machines



June 13, 1933. s. s. HOLLAND IRONER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 13, 1933. s. s. HOLLAND 1,913,549

IRONER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllH lllm.

INVENTOR Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY S. HOLLAND, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OSCAR RIEGER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI IRONER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Application filed February 13, 1930. Serial No. 428,128.

My invention relates to laundry apparatus and more particularly to a combination of a washing machine including a wringer and a power ironer including a rotative roll and ironing shoe, wherein the ironer is adapted to be mounted on the washer and operated by the motor initially provided to operate the washer and wringer.

Apparatus of this character provided for household use is ordinarily arranged to mount the ironer in the place of the wringer above the tub, and to be connected to the motor shaft in the same manner that the wringer is connected to the shaft. The ironer is thus supported in an inconveniently high position, thus requiring the operator to stand while ironing, and the wringer must be removed to install the ironer, and vice versa, whereby undue effort is required to operate the ironer and install and remove the wringer and ironer for selective and separate operation.

It is desirable however, to combine a power ironer with a washing machine, to reduce the initial cost ofthe apparatus, but the combinations heretofore provided have been unsatisfactory for the reasons including those stated above.

My invention therefore has for its principal objects to mount a power ironer on a washing machine in a suitable position for convenient use, to adapt a Washing machine and its wringer-operating mechanism to support and operatean ironer at a relatively low position, to enable .an ironer mounted on a, washer 'to be swung outwardly into position for use or into parallelism with of the same parts, illustrating the ironer in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a central section through the ironer on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through abutting portions of the tubular housing particularly illustrating their flanged connection.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a washing machine or motoroperated washer including a base 2, a tub 3 mounted on the base, a wringer 4 including a gear housing 5, and a shaft 6 extending upwardly to the position of the wringer gear housing and downwardly into a housing 7 supported by the base and containing gears whereby motion is transmitted to the shaft from a motor (not shown) which may be supported by the base, for operating the wringer.

In ordinary practice a vertical sleeve or tubular post at one corner of the tub surrounds the shaft and has an upper end adapted to receive and support the wringer gear housing, and a power ironer is adapted to replace the wringer on the post for actuation by the shaft.

My invention contemplates mounting an ironer at a relatively low position for convenient access by the operator, and enabling the ironer to be swung outwardly for use and against the side of the tub when not in use.

For these purposes I provide a lower tubular post portion 8 preferably integral with the housing 7, and an upper post portion 9 rotatively mounted on the lower portion and having an upper end journaled through a bracket-like wing 10 on the tub,

and adapted to support the wringer, the post portions being suitably flanged to maintain them in axial alignment, and provide the upper post portion with .a radial apertured bracket arm 11 for swingingly. supporting an ironer, and with a radial housing 12 to receive elements presently described, Whereby an ironer roll shaft 13 may be operably connected to the motor operated shaft (3.

The ironer includes a frame comprising right angularly related tubular arms 14 and 15, and vertically spaced ears 16 projecting longitudinally from the arm 14 and adapted to engage respectively the upper and lower faces of the bracket 11 and to be pivotally v connected thereto by a pin 17 extending through a vertical aperture in the outer end portion of the bracket for swingingly supporting the ironer from the washer, the pin being removable to permit dismounting of the ironer from the bracket.

The laterally extending plate 18 adjacent the outer end of the bracket 11 is provided with an opening to receive a pin 19 or the like for engaging in an opening in the projecting end of the upper ear-16, when the ironer is swung into the position shown in Fig. 3, and in dotted lines in Fig. 1, namely, alongside of and parallel with one side of the tub, to anchor the ironer in retracted position.

A stop lug or shoulder 20 is formed on the bracket to engage the end of the ironer frame arm 14 and limit swinging movement of the ironer to prevent the same from striking the side of the washing machine.

Attention is called to the angular position of the bracket arm 11 with reference to the axis of the frame arm 14, whereby the bracket is adapted to extend angularly outwardly from the adjacent side of the tub when the rotative tubular post portion is in the position shown in Fig. 1, to permit the ironer to be swung into parallel relation with the side of the tub Without interference from anyprotruding portions of the washing machine or ironer.

The ironer frame further includes a hollow base 21 at the inner end of the arm 15, comprising a tubular portion 22 having a peripheral recess in its end edge forming a seat for a recessed ring flange 24 projecting from the housing 12, and a tubular bearing portion 25 extending oppositely to the portion 22 for receiving and rotatably supporting the ironer shaft 13 on which a roll 26 is fixed.

The shaft 13 has a reduced end 27 e 'tending into the chamber formed by the \base, and the tubular portion 22 is provided with an apertured lug 28 adapted to engage between spaced apertured ears 29 on the housing 12 and be latched thereto by a pin 30 for retaining the ironer, in laterally extending position and inoperable relation with the actuating shaft 6.

The ironer further includes a tubular extension 31 on the arm 14, a shaft 32 rotat-a- 'bly mounted in bearings 33 in the arm and projecting beyond the outer end of the extension, a collar 34 keyed to the projecting end of the shaft, a radial arm 35 on the collar, and an ironing shoe 36 pivotally supported by a bracket 37 on the outer end of the arm and having an arcuate face adapted to engage the roll. The shoe is provided with an electric heater 38.

A pin 39 in the inner end portion of the shaft 32 projects radially therefrom into the bore of the arm 15, and engages in a notch 40 in the periphery of a cylindrical plunger 41 mounted in the arm 15 and having a cam 42 at one end located in the base member to receive means presently described, whereby the plunger may be moved tooperate the shaft 32 rotatively and press the shoe against the roll. The plunger 41 is returned to normal position to retract the shoe by a spring 43 bearing against an end wall 44 at the outer end of the arm 15.

Driving means for rotating the roll and adapted to be rendered effective when the ironer is latched to the member 10 as illustrated in'Fig. 2, include a worm gear 45 sleeved on and keyed to the shaft 6 at the position of the housing 12, aflworm wheel 46 keyed to a shaft 47 having a relatively large outer end journaled in a boss 48 projecting from the member 10, a clutch member 49 having teeth 50 fixed to the worm wheel shaft and'a clutch member 51 is slidable on the roll shaft, the latter clutch being operable as presently described to effect driving connection between the motor shaft and the roll. The worm wheel clutch is provided with an axial end recess or socket 52 to receive the end of the roll shaft 13 for providing bearings for the shafts 47 and 13, and retaining the shafts in accurate axial alignment. The engagement of the roll shaft in the clutch 49 provides also a bearing for each clutch, to reduce hazard of slippage of the clutches when engaged.

The sliding clutch 51 comprises an elongated tubular body having an enlarged toothed end 53, and a longitudinal slot 54 to receive a pin 55 fixed to the roll shaft for keying the clutch to the shaft against rota,- tion thereover. A coil spring 56 surrounding the roll shaft bears against the clutch 51 and tends to move the same outwardly into clutching relation with the clutch member 49, the clutch 51 being latched in retracted position and the spring being rendered effective by means presently described.

Mounted rotatively on the roll shaft at the outer end of the chamber in the base member of the ironer frame, and bearing against the shoulder of the roll shaft formed by reducing the end portion thereof, is a sleeve 57 having an enlarged axial recess 58 to receive the coil spring and a portion of the clutch 50, and form a seat for the spring, and a guide .for the clutch, and an operating handle 59 fixed to the sleeve projects through a slot 60 in the wall of the base member and rocks in the slot for controlling the clutches and moving the pressing board toward the roll as presently described.

A radial flange 61 at one end of the sleeve is provided with a cam face 62 operating against the cam -12 in the end of the plunger to move the same outwardly against the influence of the spring, and a cam face 63 engaging thevrounded end 64: of a bell crank lever arm 65 pivotally mounted in the base and operating in a recess 66 in the base, the other lever arm 67 being provided with a rounded head 68 engaged in an annular peripheral groove 69 in the clutch 52.

The cam 63 is adapted to engage the lever and move the same in anti-clockwise direction in Fig. 2, when the handle is swung u'pwardly, to retract the clutch, said movement of the handle moving the cam 62 away from the plunger to permit the spring to shift the plunger and shoe-operating shaft for with drawing the shoe from the roll.

Upon opposite movement of the-handle, the cam 62 moves slidably over and against the end of the plunger to actuate the shoeoperating shaft, and coincidentally the cam 63 releases the lever and permits the coil spring to shift the clutch along the roll shaft into engagement with the clutch member 50.

In operating apparatusconstructed as described, the ironer is swung on the bracket arm 11 ofthe tubular post to bring the ironer into driving relation with the gearing, and the post rotated to locate the ironer roll at an angle to the side of the tub convenient for the operator. Vvhen the ironer is not in use, it may be swung into retracted position in parallelism with the side of the tub, where it will be out of the way of washing or wringing operations, and latched by the pin 19 to prevent accidental engagement of the clutch members whilethe wringer is being used.

The ironer may be released and swung outwardly into perpendicular relation with the side of the tub for use,-t-he housing member of the ironer frame automatically moving into alignment and engagement with the transmission housing on the tubular post,, to locate the clutches in operable relation wi h each other, and the ironer may be securel latched to the transmission housing.

Attention is called to the fact that upon movement of the ironer frame into the position just described, the end of the ironer roll shaft enters the recess in the worm wheel clutch, to retain the worm wheel shaft and roll shaft in true axial alignment.

The worm wheel will be constantly operated while the motor is running, and the handle may then be operated to release the sliding clutch and permit the spring to shift the clutch and hold the same against the tooth face of the worm wheel clutch to assure interlocking of the teeth of the clutch members for effecting driving connection between the motor operated shaft and the roll shaft, said movement of the handle shifting the plunger to move the pressing board toward the roll..

Vhen the handle is reversely rocked, the spring inthe frame arm 15 returns the plunger and board to retracted position, and the cam (33 operates the bell crank lever to move the sliding clutch from clutching engagement with the worm wheel shaft.

The ironer will normally extend at right angles to one side of the tub when in use, but due to the rotative character of the upper portion of the tubular post, the post and ironer supported thereby may be moved rotatively and swung about to reposition the ironer in a desired angular relation with'the tub while the ironer is in driven relation with the actuating shaft.

The pivot pin 17 may be withdrawn, when the ironer is notconnected to the tubular post, for removing the ironer from the washer. \Vhat I claim and desire to secur'e'by Let ters Patent is:

1. In combination with a support, operating means including a motor operated shaft mounted on the support, and an ironer including a roll and its shaft, means including a sleeve surrounding a portion of the first named shaft and rotatably mounted on the support, means pivotally supporting the ironer from the slee\'e,-and means including a worm on the first named shaft, and a worm' gear connectible with the roll shaft for operating said shaft.

2. In combination with a support, a motoroperated shaft mounted on the support,

a sleeve enclosing a portion of said shaft, a gear housing supported by said sleeve, an ironer roll pivotally supported from said sleeve, a shaft for the ironer roll, a gear in the gear housing fixed to said motor operated shaft, a meshing gear rotatably mounted in the housing, a clutch member associated with said last named gear, a complementary clutch member on the roll shaft and adapted to align with the first named clutch member when the ironer roll is swung into functional position on its pivotal support, and means for actuating one of the clutch members to effect operation of the roll shaft.

3. In an ironer, a support, a tubular post on the support, a radially arranged bracket mounted on the post, a driving shaft in said post, an ironer roll, a shaft for the ironer roll, means for swingingly supporting the ironer roll on said bracket, a gear on the driving shaft, a gear meshing with the first named gear, and a clutch on the roll shaft for effecting driving relation between the last named gear and the roll shaft.

4. In an ironer, a support, operating means including a driving shaft on the support, a tubular post member mounted over the driving shaft, a bracket arm mounted on the tubular post, a gear housing supported by said post, an ironer roll frame swingingly mounted on the bracket arm and movable to and from said gear housing, an ironer roll and its shaft mounted on saidframe, a housing on said roll frame adapted to engage the gear housing, gearing in the gear housing operable by the driving shaft, and means in said last named housing for effectingdriving connection b(. tWeen the driving shaft and the roll shaftwwhen said last named housing is engaged with the gear housing.

5. In an ironer, a support, a tubular post including a portion fixed to the support and a rotative portion, a driving shaft in the post, a 1) ticket arm and a gear-housing on ,v said rotative portion of the post, an ironer roll frame swingingly mounted on the bracket arm and movable to and from the gear housing, an ironer roll mounted on said frame, a housing onthe roll frame engageable with the gear housing, gearing in the gear housing operable by said driving shaft, and means in said last named housing for effecting driving connection of the ironer roll with the gearing when the last named mousing is engaged with the gear housing.

(5. In anironer, a support, a driving shaft on the support, a tubular post surrounding the driving shaft, 2. gear housing rotatably supported on said post, a bracket arm associated with the gear housing, roll supporting f rame having an arm pivotally connected with the bracket arm, an ironer roll shaft supported by the frame, an ironer roll on the shaft, a clutch housing on the frame engageable with the gear housgearing in the gear housing operable C79 from the drivingshaft, and clutch members 'in' said housing for effecting driving connection between the roll shaftand the gearmg when the roll frame is pivoted on the bracket arm to engage the ironer housing with the gear housing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

@IDNEY S. HOLLAND.

an ironer 

